Toughest Cities to Recruit Tech Talent

The five Midwest cities on the list span a distance apart of more than 700 miles and are tough recruiting locations based on a combination of supply and demand issues. Employers are hiring tech professionals in Michigan, thanks in part to the efforts of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, which approved incentives for four companies that plan to create nearly 700 new jobs in the state. While these incentives are bringing positions to town, recruiters suggest Detroit is the fourth most challenging city to recruit in.

The war for technology talent has traditionally been fought on the coasts of this country. Technology companies soak up professionals in Silicon Valley to invent the next big thing. The Federal Government, defense contractors and financial service companies scour the East Coast for tech talent. However, recruiters and hiring managers are now suggesting that the Midwest is the toughest region for recruiting technology professionals. A recent hiring survey from Dice with responses from both recruiters and hiring managers, who recruit across the U.S., found that five of the top 12 most challenging cities to recruit tech talent in are located in the Midwest.